Guide for Using the Comparison of Common Core State
Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in
Mathematics and the Comparison of Common Core State
Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in
English Language Arts
Following the adoption of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics
and the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy
in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects by the Arkansas State
Board of Education on July 12, 2010, the Arkansas Department of Education
brought together educators from across the state to complete an alignment
analysis of the Arkansas Mathematics Curriculum Framework and English
Language Arts Curriculum Framework to the Common Core State Standards
(CCSS). This work was completed by a committee of educators that included
teachers at all grade levels, math and English language arts specialists, and
faculty from institutions of higher education. To accomplish this work, the
committees used the Common Core Comparison Tool created by Achieve to
assist in determining the relationship between state standards and the CCSS
documents.
Participants in both the English language arts and math committees were
charged with the task of reading and interpreting the CCSS and then matching
relevant student learning expectations (SLEs) in the Arkansas Curriculum
Frameworks to each common core standard. To accomplish this task, committee
members were divided into grade bands and systemically began the process of
matching each SLE to one or more corresponding common core standards. Two
criteria were considered in the matching process: content alignment and depth
of learning. Arkansas SLEs that matched well in both the scope of content and
depth of learning were considered excellent matches. However, every match
does not represent an exact match due to the difference in wording as well as
scope of the corresponding common core standard. For example, matches were
assigned when an Arkansas SLE did not cover the entire scope of the matched
common core standard, either in content specificity or depth of learning;
however, the skill or concept of the SLE represented scaffolding that is needed to
obtain the common core standard, was inferred from the wording of the standard,
or supported one or more parts of the common core standard. Therefore, a
common core standard may have several related Arkansas student learning
expectations that may, or may not, cover the entire scope of the common core
standard to which it is matched.
The Comparison of Common Core State Standards with Arkansas Student
Learning Expectations in Mathematics and the Comparison of Common Core
State Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in English
Language Arts represent the culmination of thoughtful and careful review of both
the CCSS and state framework documents by statewide educators. The
alignment completed by the committees is not intended to reflect a final or
absolute alignment but to clarify the relationship between the CCSS and
Arkansas Curriculum Frameworks for English language arts and mathematics.
Neither are these documents meant to serve as prescriptive or exhaustive
curriculum guides but to provide local and state educators with some guidance
as Arkansas moves toward implementation of the Common Core State
Standards. The documents serve as one tool to inform decisions during the
transition process. Further examination of the documents may reveal additional
matches, depending on individual interpretations of content and depth of
learning.
The Comparison of Common Core State Standards with Arkansas Student
Learning Expectations in Mathematics
Understanding the format of the Comparison of Common Core State Standards
with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in Mathematics is essential to
reading and using the document. The comparison document is divided into eight
columns:
 Columns one and two represent the strand codes and standard numbers
from the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. For example,
N.RN represents Numbers.Rational Numbers. (For a complete list of
strand codes, see the attached Coding Chart for Mathematics.)
 Column three is the text of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).
 Column four indicates the grade/course of the common core standard.
 Column five represents the grade level of the Arkansas SLE that is
matched to the common core standard.
 Column six is the Arkansas SLE that is matched to the common core
standard.
 Column seven indicates the degree of match that Arkansas currently has
to the CCSS.
 Column eight includes additional, relevant information provided by the
committee about the match.
Understanding Degrees of Match
After determining which Arkansas SLE(s) matched a common core standard,
committee members determined the degree of match between the collective
Arkansas SLE(s) that corresponded to a common core standard. All matched
common core standards were rated based on the degree of match. The
committee members assessed both breadth and depth of content contained
within Arkansas SLE(s) and the common core standard to determine the degree
of match.
The following ratings represent the degree of match of the Arkansas SLE(s) to
the corresponding common core standard:
3 = Excellent match. Arkansas SLE(s) match the common core
standard in both depth of learning and content.
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2 = Good match. Arkansas SLE(s) match the common core standard with
minor aspects of the core standard not addressed in the Arkansas
SLE(s).
1 = Weak match. Arkansas SLE(s) relate to the common core standard
with major aspects of the common core standard not addressed by the
Arkansas SLE(s).
Understanding the Codes for the Mathematics Strands and Standards
Columns one and two of the comparison document include codes that refer to
the common core strands and standard numbers. These codes will help
educators familiarize themselves with the nomenclature used in the Common
Core State Standards for Mathematics. Attached is a Coding Chart for
Mathematics that was used in the creation of the document. This chart, which
follows in order the common core standards in the Comparison of Common Core
State Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in Mathematics, is
intended to help educators read the abbreviations for the strands in columns one
and two.
In column three of the comparison document, each common core standard is
preceded by a code that includes grade level/course, strand, and standard
number. For example, CC.K.CC.1 represents Common Core.Grade
Kindergarten.Counting and Cardinality Strand.Standard 1.
In column six of the document, the Arkansas SLEs were also assigned a code to
assist in the matching process. For example, AR.K.A.4.4 represents Arkansas.
Kindergarten.Algebra Strand.Standard 4.SLE 4. Following the coded
Arkansas SLE, the Arkansas SLE number appears in parenthesis. (Arkansas
coding A.4.K.4)
The Comparison of Common Core State Standards with Arkansas Student
Learning Expectations in English Language Arts
Understanding the format of the Comparison of Common Core State Standards
with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in English Language Arts is
essential to reading and using the document. The comparison document is
divided into eight columns:
 Column one represents the strand codes from the Common Core State
Standards for English Language Arts. For example, RI represents
Reading for Informational Texts. (For a complete list of strand codes,
see the attached Coding Chart for English Language Arts.)
 Column two lists the standard number for each strand.
 Column three includes the standard code, conceptual organizer, and the
text of each common core standard.
 Column four indicates the grade level of the common core standard.
 Column five represents the grade level of the Arkansas SLE that is
matched to the common core standard.
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Column six is the Arkansas SLE that is matched to the common core
standard. The SLE is preceded by the conceptual organizer.
Column seven indicates the degree of match that one or more Arkansas
SLEs have to the corresponding common core standard.
Column eight includes notes that the committee members included to
provide additional, relevant information about the match.
The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in
History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects is divided into three
sections: a comprehensive K-5 section that includes standards for reading
writing, speaking and listening, and language across the curriculum as well as
two content-area specific sections for grades 6-12—one for English language
arts and one for history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. The
standards for history/social studies, science, and technical subjects are not
included in this comparison document. These standards are not intended to be
implemented in the English language arts classroom; they are designed
specifically as a literacy component to be used in conjunction with standards in
other content areas. The correlation of the grades 6-12 CCSS literacy standards
to the content standards of the Arkansas Curriculum Frameworks for science and
social studies will be forthcoming.
Understanding Degrees of Match
After determining which Arkansas SLE(s) matched a common core standard,
committee members determined the degree of match between the collective
Arkansas SLE(s) that corresponded to a common core standard. All matched
common core standards were rated based on the degree of match. The
committee members assessed both breadth and depth of content contained
within Arkansas SLE(s) and the common core standard to determine the degree
of match.
The following ratings represent the degree of match of the Arkansas SLE(s) to
the corresponding common core standard:
3 = Excellent match. Arkansas SLE(s) match the common core
standard in both depth of learning and content.
2 = Good match. Arkansas SLE(s) match the common core standard with
minor aspects of the core standard not addressed in the Arkansas
SLE(s).
1 = Weak match. Arkansas SLE(s) relate to the common core standard
with major aspects of the common core standard not addressed by the
Arkansas SLE(s).
Understanding the Codes for the English Language Arts Strands and Standards
Column one of the comparison document includes codes that refer to the
common core strands. These codes will help educators familiarize themselves
with the nomenclature used in the Common Core State Standards for English
Language Arts. Attached is the Coding Chart for English Language Arts that was
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used in the creation of the document. This chart, which follows the order of the
strands and standards in the Comparison of Common Core State Standards with
Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in English Language Arts, is intended to
help educators read the abbreviations for the strands in column one.
In column three of the comparison document, each common core standard is
preceded by a code that includes grade level, strand, and standard number. For
example, CC.5.W.3.d represents Common Core.Grade 5.Writing
Strand.Standard 3d.
In column six of the document, the Arkansas SLEs were also assigned a code to
assist in the matching process. For example, AR.7.IR.12.2 represents
Arkansas.Grade 7.Inquiring/Researching Strand.Standard 12.SLE 2.
Following the coded Arkansas SLE, the Arkansas SLE number from the English
Language Arts Curriculum Framework appears in parenthesis. (Note: Some
writing SLEs from Standard 4 located in the parenthesis were miscoded in the
Achieve Comparison Tool as Oral and Visual Communication SLEs. For
example, Arkansas SLE W.4.11.4 appears as OV.4.11.4. This is an internal flaw
of the Comparison Tool, and this miscoding occurs only in Writing Standard 4.)
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